East West Rail Connection State 1

Infrastructure and Construction

Record date: 31 March 2026

Whole-life cost: Not disclosed
Published schedule: 30/11/2011 – Exempt under Section 35 - Formulation of government policy, Section 43 - Commercial interests
NISTA delivery confidence: Exempt under Section 43 - Commercial interests, Section 35 - Formulation of government policy
Senior responsible owner: Jodie Lofthouse

What the project is for

East West Rail (EWR) is a new railway connecting towns and cities across the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor. The Government has identified the corridor as a key pillar of its economic growth mission – by delivering new east-west connectivity and removing existing constraints to growth, EWR is projected to support up to 100,000 new homes, tens of thousands of new jobs and it is expected to add £6.7bn to regional GVA each year by 2050. The EWR programme is structured around the phased introduction of passenger services from the mid 2020s to the mid-late 2030s. The railway will deliver shorter journey times between key economic centres; provide greener public transport and new paths for rail freight; and provide interchanges with major rail lines, supporting onward travel across the country. It will provide a total of 8 new stations, including at Cambridge East and redevelop existing stations unlocking opportunities for growth/regeneration along the corridor. Phase 1 (formerly Connection Stage 1) of the delivery programme relates to services between Oxford and Bletchley / Milton Keynes and is the first phase of the wider EWR programme. Major construction was completed in June 2025 and freight services are now running on this section. The Department continues to work closely with Chiltern Railways and other partners to confirm a start date for the first EWR passenger services between Oxford and Milton Keynes.

Departmental delivery commentary

Exempt under Section 43 - Commercial interests, Section 35 - Formulation of government policy

Schedule

Exempt under Section 35 - Formulation of government policy, Section 43 - Commercial interests

Cost

Exempt under Section 35 - Formulation of government policy, Section 43 - Commercial interests

Benefits

Phase 1 is in final delivery stages. Benefits are being captured via an EWR Company evaluation exercise. Some benefits will not be fully realised without progression of the later phases of EWR through Bedford to Cambridge.